Blaencerdin

Location

At the roadside, on the opposite side and to north of Capel Hermon.

History

Earlier C19 single-storey cottage. Marked on the Cynwyl Elfed Tithe map of 1840 as a holding of 4 acres (1.6 hectares). At this time the owner was David Jones and the occupier Thomas Evans.

Exterior

Earlier C19, single-storey, whitewashed rubble, cottage with grouted random slate roof (covered with tarpaulin at time of survey) and brick end chimney stacks. The front has a deeply recessed boarded door offset to the right and flanked by horned 12-pane sash windows in painted frames. Forward to right is the corrugated-iron carpenters shop with overlapping small-panes to the windows. Stepped down to left is the whitewashed rubble cowshed with corrugated-iron roof, boarded door and 4-pane casement window. Set back is an attached lower outbuilding largely of corrugated-iron and with boarded door and 3-pane window. The bowing whitewashed rubble rear wall with overhanging eaves has no window openings except for one tiny blocked window. Loft window to right-hand gable end.

Interior

Not inspected but, the historic character of the interior is said to be remarkably well-preserved with parlour to the left of the entrance passage and steep ladder against the left-hand gable end up to the loft which contained the sleeping accommodation. Four, collarless, roof trusses with purlins and ridge.

Reason for designation

Listed as a remarkably unaltered example of a traditional West Wales smallholding cottage, of the smallest type associated with smallholdings.